Next time you think of uttering the name "Nic Cage," think again. You're likely to have your ears instantly blasted with innumerable insults about the actor. In fact, "Nic Cage" has become synonymous with "monstrous disaster" for most people. But how did Cage manage to reach such levels of international infamy? Let's explore the phenomenon that is Nicolas Cage.\nCage got his start with a minor role in the classic teen movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). Since then, he has acted in more than 60 movies and carved out a spot in Hollywood history. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Cage nurtured his fame with priceless performances as quirky, eccentric characters. Including his portrayal of a mirthful dimwit in Raising Arizona (1987) and his Oscar-winning role as an alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter in Leaving Las Vegas (1995), Cage has starred in countless cult classics and gratifying films. Of course, he has had a few bumps like any other movie star, but his superior movies always rendered the uninspiring ones insignificant. By 2002, Cage had solidified his place as one of the best actors of his generation.
In 2006, Nicolas Cage's career took a pitfall, as he entered "The Cage Depression." From 2006-09, Cage starred in horrid movies such as The Wicker Man (2006), Ghost Rider (2007), Next (2007), National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007), Bangkok Dangerous (2008), Knowing (2009) and G-Force (2009). What do all these movies have in common? Well, they all have less than a 35 percent critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and they all left moviegoers wanting more from the actor they remembered from a decade before.
The Cage Depression, which has generated most of Cage's current global notoriety, can be explained in a few ways. The most widely accepted justification claims Nic Cage is a flat-out terrible actor. I strongly disagree with this popular claim that completely disregards Cage's body of work. My explanation consists mainly of financial drive and a sequence of poor choices. First off, most of Cage's movies during this period earned him millions of dollars more than his critically acclaimed past movies. For example, according to IMDB, Cage earned $20,000,000 for National Treasure: Book of Secrets but only $240,000 for his Oscar-winning role in Leaving Las Vegas. For an actor who declared bankruptcy last year, I can see money being an issue in choosing his roles. Cage also chose mainstream leading roles lacking in intrigue and potential, instead of playing the fun, unconventional characters we had come to love.
But Cage has given us reason to believe he has recuperated. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call-New Orleans (2009) and Kick-Ass (2010), two of Cage's most recent films, were met with glowing reviews. The former should particularly please Cage fans. In similar vein to Harvey Keitel in the original 1992 Bad Lieutenant, Cage plays a drug-addicted, corrupt cop, and thoroughly succeeds in the role. Where does the Nicolas Cage rollercoaster take us from here? Considering his upcoming movies include the intriguing The Hungry Rabbit Jumps and the potentially disastrous Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, there's no telling what's next.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
